Radio bulb socket



Jan. 1, 1929. 1,697,503

L. A. vHoLLwlTz,

RADIO BULB SOCKET Filed Oct. 26, 1926 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 1, 1929.

UNITED STATES LUDWIG A. HOLLWITZ, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

RADIO BULB socxn'r.

Application 1aed october 2e, 1926. serial No. 144,386.

This invention relates to sockets for radio bulbs and the like apparatus. More particularly this invention is directed to asocket of improved construction having novel means for securing the bulb in the socket and for making the electrical joint between the bulb terminals and t-he socket contacts efficient to a. high degree.

An objectof the invention is the provision of a socket of the character described having' manual operated means for positively clamping the bulb terminals to the socket contacts to hold the resulting electrical connection against possible disarrangement.

The socket embodying the invention is adapted for ordinary use and has been found to give satisfactory service under the severest conditions of operation, as for example, when used on equipment which is mounted on moving vehicles.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved socket of the character described constructed of few and simple parts, which is cheap to manufacture and practical for the purposes described.

Other objects of this invention will in part bev obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.'

The invention accordingly consists in the 30. features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified inthe construction hereinafter described and of which the scope of.

application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing in which is shown one of the various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention- Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a socketv embodying the invention taken on lmes 1 1 l in Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a socket;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the socket base member.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the socket intermediate member; and

plan view of my improved Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional' o view of a modified form of socket embodying the invention.

Referring in detail tothe drawing, 10 denotes a socket embodying the invention which is adapted to receive the base 11a of a bulb 11 of any Vwell known construction, having a plurality of terminal pins 11b, for example, a radio bulb having four pin terminals, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

The socket 1.0 is seen to comprise three non-currentcarrying parts, namely, a base 12, a holder 14, in which the base 11a is mounted and an intermediate or clampcontrol member 13 rotatably held between the base 12 and the holder 14. Said parts may be made of any suitable material but are 'preferably formed of a molded insulating compound, such as bakelite or the like material.

T'o receive the bulb terminal pins 11b, metallic receptacle contact members 15 are provided, which extend up from the base 12 into the holder 14 and are disposed in spaced relation to correspond with the positioning of the pins 11b on the bulb base 11a.

The upper or receiving end of the member 15 is provided with radial slots 15, extending longitudinally of Said member a substantial distance down from said contact ends, and forming a plurality of gripping portions 15b on each member 15. The outer surface 15c of the member 15 may have a downwardly converging taper, said surface 15c extending through correspondingly shaped passages in the bottom of holder 14, as shown in Fig. 1, thus retaining the socket parts from separa.- tion and serving as a portion of the clamping contacting means as will hereinafter appear. l The base 12 may be of a dished construction so. as to provide a hollow bottom wherein current carrying connections are disposed. These connections comprise usual leads or jumpers 16, each of which is secured at one end in any suitable manner as by r1veting to the lower end of contact 15, said leads 16 being radially disposed and anchored at their other ends by terminal screws 17; these latter are arranged to extend up through the rim portion of the base 12 to the upper exterior side as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The free end of the screws 17 may be provided with knurled nuts 18 to form binding posts, which for a four terminal radio bulb may be marked in the usual manner VGr, P, F- and F-I- as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

A dominant feature of the invention is the provision of manually operated clamping contact means for positively effecting a gripping action of the terminal pins 11b, between I the receptacle Contact portions 15". 'l Sad means is seen to comprise a series of wedges or cam projections 12a Which are constructed to form a circular structure 12b, said structure being preferably made integral with the base 12 as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The clamp-control member 13 is mounted to rotate over the projections 12a on the j structure 12b and is annular shaped to permit passage of the contact member 15 through its central opening 13. Corresponding with the structure 12b and projections 12a, there is provided on the under side of member 13 a series of recesses as shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

To provide a non-slip linger gripping means on member 13, the rim surface 13 thereof may be serrated or knurled in the Well known manner.

In usingy the invention, the socket l0 is secured in place by any suitable fastening means such as screws (not shown) passing through holes 12c provided in the base 12. The clamp control member 13 is then rotated counter-clockwise (as seen on Fig. 2) until said member is in its lowermost position, that is, when the recesses 13b are positioned so as to be occupied lby the projections 12a. The

bulb base 11a may now be inserted into the holder 14, the terminal pins 11b being guided to their proper receptacle contact members by the aid of the usual slot 14a on the upper rim of the holder. After the terminal pins 111? have been entered between the gripping portions 15b of the contacts 15 as' shown in Fig. 1, the clamp control member 13 is r0- tated clockwise, which causes the said mene ber to rise due to camming or wedging action of the projections 12a in the recesses 13b. The holder 14 and the member 13 are lifted with respect tothe base and the tapered openings in the holder bottom 14 surround the gripping portions 15b are caused to engage the tapered surfaces 15c of the contacts 15 compressing same about the terminal pins 11b thus assuring a positive clamping connection which is mechanically and electrically eilicient to a high degree.

To remove the bulb the member 1,3 is simply rotated counter-clockwise which re-- leases the terminal pins 11b from the grip of the contacts 15 and the bulb11 may be lifted out of the holder. f

In Fig. 5 is shown a socket 10a of modified construction embodying the invention. The receptacle contact members 25 -are here seen to be formed of tubular material so that the lower ends 2'5d may be riveted over in eyelet fashion. In order to insure a positive re- -lease control about the gripping portions 251b of the contacts 25, recesses 14c in the holder bottom 14b and tapered collars 26 on the end portion ofthe contacts 25 are provided in place of the tapered openings in the holder 14 shown in Fig. 1, said collars 26 beingsupported in the recesses 14c on compression springs 27. I

said terminal. Y

It is also apparent from Fig. 5 that the resilient spring construction of the clamping means about each set of contact gripping portions 25h, takes care of inequalities in the i above set forth, it is to be understood that all matterL herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A socket of the character described comprising a plurality of non-current carrying parts and contacts each having gripping members forming an inwardly tapered`structure and supported on one of the parts, another of the parts being mounted for outward movement with respect to thel last mentioned part for releasably controlling the gripping action of said members.

2. A socket adapted to receive a bulb having pin terminals comprising a base, a holder 'adapted to receive the bulb, contacts mounted on said base and extending into` the holder for engaging with the bulb terminals and manually controlled means mounted between the base and holder for releasably clamping said contacts to the bulb terminals.

3. A socket having a holder and contacts adapted to receive the base and terminals respectively of a radio bulb, said contacts of the contacts being formed with gripping portions extending through the' top of the base adapted to engage with the bulb terminals, a member engaging the said gripping portions, and wedging means interposed between said member and base to clamp the said rportions'tov the pin terminals of the bulb.

. `5. Inja' socket of the character described,

a yreceptacle 'contact'having gripping members each formingfan inwardly tapered split frusto-conical structure adapted "to receive a pin terminal of a bulb, and resilient means surrounding said structure for releasably applying pressure to clampsaid members'about G. A socket adapted to receive e bulb ha-V- ing pin terminals, comprising a base, al holder adapted to receive the bulb, contacts mounted on said base, the receiving ends of the Contact being formed with gripping poi'- tions and extending into the holder for engaging with the bulb terminals, spring pressed Collars engaging' said Contact gripping portions supported by the holder and a control member for Wedging the said grip- 10 ping portions in the holder to clamp the said portions to the pin terminals of the bulb.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

LUDWG A. HOLLWITZ. 

